pbleighton

Have you found a ftf game in Thailand, Ron? If so, how it it? Peter

Yes, I double. Now I pass. It's red at imps. Peter

Say 2D-P-3S. What do you think is standard practice (no discussion), and what do you play? Peter

2C. You have a 21 hcp one suiter which is worth an upgrade. Opposite a passed hand, I plan to rebid 2NT over the expected 2D. Peter

Sorry, Ken, I should have specified that the opener hasn't rebid 1NT in a strong NT system. Peter

Assuming your agreements allow mediocre 15 counts for 1NT overcalls, 1NT, although at IMPs I might pass, at MPs never. Double is not an option. Peter

Playing a natural system, let's say you open most(or all) 12 counts and a some significant minority of 11 counts, how do you feel about downgrading bad 11 counts to non-invitational status? Related question: how many 10 counts do you invite with (excluding those with known 8+ card fits)? My experience lead me to never downgrade (playing a strong club with limited openings, or natural with lighter openings is a different matter, of course). Peter

I would have bid 1N the first time, now I pass. Peter

Because of the pluses and minuses, a lot of players split the difference. For myself, I will raise with 3 if unbalanced and is less bad than rebidding my suit. I will virtually never rebid 1NT with a stiff or void. I will very rarely raise on 3 if balanced. Peter

I would certainly raise 2NT to 3NT. Peter

I agree with Adam. Peter

You have this opinion of Chelsea? Peter

Most people play that after 1x-(overcall in suit y) that cue bidding suit y shows an invitational or better hand with support for suit x. Opener assumes it is invitational. This is a very useful treatment. It allows all direct raises in suit x to be preemptive, and it removes the single raise from the overcaller's partner's response. Peter

I will be in 3NT in any system I've played. I like to play this way as well. 2S for me, in addition, is NF and is a hand which would not accept an invitation to 3NT (though possibly would accept an invitation to 4S). Peter

I did respond, Mike. Perhaps you have revoked my citizenship :P Peter

1. I would open as South, many wouldn't, it's a style issue. Given that pass, West could definitely double, though he is light on hcp for it. Again, a style issue. 2. Another style issue - 2S in the second seat. Th colors argue for bidding, the hand for passing. 3C is fine, I don't like 3S. I play double as penalties here, so I'm left with pass, 3H, or 4S. I pass, given what South opened on, I assume North knows this. If the preempting style were solid in the second seat, I would bid 4S. Peter

More and more countries will have nuclear weapons. We had better get used to it. Peter

You could make a case that the Afghani government, by sheltering Al Qaeda, had entered into an active alliance with a group which had indeed comitted an act of war against the U.S. This is a murky case, and I don't think we have handled Afghanistan well at all, but there was some justification in that invasion. The problem was that, *if you break it, you own it*, and Bush has been consistently irresponsible in this respect, as in others. Peter

Easy pass. Double is out, and I don't like overcalling at the 3 level with a flat 13 count, xxx in opp's suit, and a not so great suit of my own. Make the hand 64 K643 A7 KQJ65 and I'd bid 3C. Peter

I think that it is very unlikely that the U.S. will invade and occupy Iran. We have a LONG imperialiast history (for our victims' own good, of course B) ), which persists to this day: see Vietnam and Iraq (twice). Vietnam taught us a lesson, which lasted until the first Gulf war. Indeed, one of Bush I's motives was to unlearn the lesson of Vietnam. He was smart enough to not invade, so there was no immediate lesson there. However, it did increase Muslim resentment of the West in general and the U.S. in particular. This resentment has been shown to have consequences... I think Iraq has taught us the same lesson, so we probably not invade and occupy Iraq. We (or Israel) may attack with air power, a lesser but still tragic mistake for either country. I think and hope that the odds are against it. The pro-Western Iranian exiles who hate the present regime have said don't bomb, if you do the regime will use nationalistic hatred to stay in power for another fifty plus years. In addition, accumulated Muslim resentment would increase. Not a good idea. Attacking Iran would be an act of instant gratification, ignoring future consequences. BTW, Mike, you miss the point once again (you are remarkable). U.N. approval is neither necessary nor sufficient for us to attack a country. The issue is actually quite simple. We should attack a country when it commits an act of war against us. Preemptive war is both self-destructive and morally wrong. Peter

Why would we assume that? I design financial information systems for a living, and in that space at least, this is not true at all. Peter

As another poster said, it's whatever you agree. I play both as 4-4 in the unbid suits, with 1NT being 0-12 hcp, and double being 13+ if 4-4, possibly a little less if 5-4 or 5-5. Peter

I think that this would be a good idea. That said, there are a couple of posters whose posts I completely ignore, and a few more I usually ignore. It works for me. Peter

Depends on your agreements, Mike. My regular partners rarely pull this double. Isn't 4NT the minors? That said, I double. I think I can beat it, and I'm prepared for partner to pull it to any suit. Peter

If you would do that', it's a pretty weak slam invitation. Peter